Puerto Criollo — Restaurant in San Juan

STAY FAR AWAY from PUERTO CRIOLLO!!! ATTITUDEs are horrible, unethical, And VINDICTIVE!!!!! WILL BE REPORTING ThIS PLACE! This place is the WORST be warned !!!!Husband and I chose this place randomly while spending the day in old SAN JUAN .. We skipped tons of restaurants along the way also ignored the all of the negative reviews wanting to give it a chance for our selves…They sat us .. I notified the waitress that I was going to go to the bar to order my drinks hence ;I am allergic to a lot of drink ingredients , so wanted to speak directly to the bar tender. First issue My husband stayed at the table waiting to put in our food orders ;no approached him the entire time that I was at the bar . Second issue while I was at the bar I was aggressively met by the manager, who informed me that the waitress would take my drink order . I explained that I am allergic to many ingredients and would prefer to have the bar tender directly take my drink order. The Bar tender was kind and patient . He completed my drink order drew up a check for 35$ . One of the waitresses yelled at him to hand her the check . He walked my credit card over to her , she then created a new checked that was double the price . At that point I hadn’t viewed the Receipt; hence I walked over to my table to grab a very generous cash tip for bar tinder . When I walked back over to hand bar tinder his 20$ tip I was met with a 65$ bill for an 8 once margarita and an 8 once pina Colada !! No speciality liquor or ingredients were used just 2 basic drinks 8 ounce drinks and a tip cost us almost 90$ ! All because the waitress and manager didn’t like that I preferred to order my drink at the bar instead of with her! WOW the actions of a VINDICTIVE and UNETHICAL restaurant! At the incident we decided not to eat their we collected our belongings and left .. Be warned please Believe the negative reviews about how they treat their customers the WARNINGS are true! PS the place was empty which while the restaurants next door were busy with customers that should have been a sign that this Establishment does...

I should have known when the waitress didn‘t ask how I‘d like my beefsteak. „Medium“, „well done“, „medium rare“ — who cares, when you get a piece of leather or something resembling a wash cloth. I guess, my “medium” simply dissolved on its way to the chef’s brain and fingers.

My wife tried the „house speciality“: „Gallita al horno“ (half a chicken with bean sauce and rice). The sauce came back cold twice (we thought it was a mistake the 1st time), as was the rice. The chicken was dry as a desert. This was after she tried to order “stuffed avocado“: Silly she: Avocados were no longer available on Tuesdays.

We also find it quite presumptious to charge $9 for a warm (!!j glas of Pinot Grigio even when (wrongly) served in a champaign glass. In all fairness I have to confess that we actually got two plastic cups of iced water (instead of the single one we did order) 10 minutes after we ordered all the drinks and they were served.

We identified at least 5 different waitresses with 3-4 lively chatting to one another in complete disregard of any guests or their requirements. A neighbouring table of three adults simply left after having been neglected for 15 minutes. This, though, did not seem to disturb anyone.

It was even difficult to pay as we got the check but no one cared to collect any money (or credit card). After literally 9 minutes I decided enough is enough, and payed inside (not without almost being insulted of why the heck I am asking the bartender to pay when, in fact, another random waitress was in charge of the cashiers desk). Our waitress: no where to be seen outside or inside the venue.

This was definitely the worst dining experience in whole Puerto Rico. We rather recommend turning to one of the food trucks at the harbor than to Puerto Criollo: Besides being much cheaper with better service, you’ll also enjoy the magnificent view on the...

After the disappointing experience at our previous dining attempt, we arrived at Puerto Criollo with tempered expectations. However, from the moment we stepped inside, we were met with warm smiles and a readiness to accommodate our party of six. Immediately, we felt welcomed, and our initial apprehensions began to dissipate as we were shown to our table.

At first glance, the menu appeared slightly on the expensive side, but any concerns about value quickly vanished when our dishes arrived. The portions were generous, and the quality exceeded every expectation, making each dish worth every penny. Our waiter, who greeted us with the same infectious smile as when we entered, was attentive and courteous throughout our meal. Despite his limited English, he communicated effectively, ensuring that our dining experience was as smooth as possible. The contrast in service compared to our earlier encounter was nothing short of remarkable—this was hospitality at its finest.

Now, to the most crucial element of any dining experience: the food. It was nothing short of spectacular. The pork chop, both substantial in size and rich in flavor, was a highlight. The octopus, tender and succulent, was cooked to perfection. What began as a day marred by frustration and hunger ended with us leaving Puerto Criollo satisfied and content, our spirits lifted by both the exceptional food and the impeccable service. This establishment truly redeemed our Puerto Rican culinary adventure, proving itself to be the island's saving grace on an otherwise...